Kellerburg Castle (Ruin) (Battenberg)

The Kellerburg was built at the beginning of the 13th century by the Counts of Battenberg, presumably under the rule of Werner I or Widekind I of Battenberg and Wittgenstein. After its completion, Widekind I moved his residence from the old count's castle to the Kellerburg. Due to the strategic location of their small county between the Archbishopric of Mainz and the Landgraviate of Hesse, the Battenberg counts were forced to act diplomatically. As early as around 1227/1228, Widekind I and Hermann of Battenberg enfeoffed the castle to Landgrave Heinrich Raspe, but at the same time became his burgesses in Marburg. Negotiations followed with Archbishop Siegfried II of Mainz regarding a possible sale of the castle. An initial sales contract from 1234 did not come into force, but in July 1238, after the division of the county, Widekind II, Werner III of Battenberg, and Siegfried I of Wittgenstein sold their shares to Archbishop Siegfried III of Mainz. In 1291, Count Hermann of Battenberg, due to financial difficulties, was forced to sell parts of his county to Mainz, but in return received back the Mainz half of the Kellerburg.